Hopper outlet construction



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HOPPER OUTLET CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @J'HIWW INVENTOR.

HOPPER OUTLET CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

W m g United sees Patent Patented Dec. 25, 195?.

3,070,040 BUFFER OUTLET CONhTRUCTlGN William F. Bathe, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, ill., a corporation of lllinois Filed Sept. 5, 1953, Ser. No. 759,235 1 Claim. (Cl. 105-232) This invention relates to an outlet assembly such as employed for controlling discharge of lading from railway hopper cars and the like. It particularly concerns that type of structure having a sliding gate extending through a slot in the hopper for closing the opening and wherein the gate is movable to an open position beyond the opening.

in the conventional type of car which is in Wide use it has been customary to support the gate for each hopper in opened position by rails which extend from the frame that surrounds the hopper opening on the side adjacent the slot through which the gate moves. The rails form continuations of ledges on the frame that support the gate in closed position and provide supports underlying the gate throughout its range of movement to the open position. This construction requires precision in the fabrication and assembly of the parts in order to obtain proper alignment between the frame supports and the extension rails. This is not always readily attainable due to inaccuracies of construction and distortion on account of misalignment of the car structure. in the past such irregularities have been compensated for principally by incorporating generous clearances between the gate and the slot in the outlet frame through which the gate moves between open and closed positions in order to allow for limited vertical movement of the gate during such movement. Because of the increase in use of covered hopper cars for transporting finely comminuted lading in which a hopper outlet employing a sliding type of gate is used, it becomes increasingly desirable to restrict the slot clearance for the gate. This results in a closer fit between the upper surface of the gate and the adjacent under surface of the upper wall of the frame. in turn this requirement makes it undesirable to have lodgement of compacted lading, ice or other obstruction on the rails which would tend to lift the gate sufiiciently for it to impinge against the under surface of the upper wall of the frame and thus cause binding of the gate and interference with its movement between open and closed position.

The present invention is embodied in a structure which is intended to overcome the disadvantages resulting from the use of continuous rails in the manner above described. According to this invention the support of the gate in the opened position is localized intermediate the ends of the gate at a location which is spaced from the wall of the frame underneath which the gate moves between open and closed position.

Among the objects of this invention, in addition to providing for the spaced localized support of the gate as above referred to, are: To provide attachable cantilever supporting brackets for connection with the frame to support the gate; to provide a bracket at each side of the gate having a web for attachment to a hopper frame and laterally inwardly extending flange means for supporting the gate at a location remote from the frame proper; to provide a seat on each bracket having a comparatively short length for underlying the gate in open position at a location midway of its length and having the seat leading downwardly to present a depressed portion between it and the frame; to provide a support for the gate at a location spaced from the frame with an inclined approach leading to the seat; to provide each bracket with a web for attachment to the frame and an inwardly directed flange fort a seat for the gate in open position with the upper flange gradually tapering in width to a minimum at the point of attachment to the frame; to provide for preventing movement of the gate in the opening direction beyond a predetermined position; to provide interfering ribs adjacent the leading end of the gate for engaging with pinions non-rotatably mounted on an operating shaft for limiting the movement of the gate; and to cast the supports integrally with the frame side walls as extensions thereof.

For a further comprehension of the invention reference can be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FEGURE l is a view, partly in vertical side elevation and partly in vertical section of an outlet assembly constructed in accordance with this invention with the gate in closed and latched position.

FIGURE 2 is a view, in end elevation, of the structure shown in FIGURE 1, the view being taken looking from right to left of FiGURE l with a portion being broken away to show the interfering ribs as seen generally along a line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the outlet assembly shown in FIGURE 1 with the floor plates and side walls of the hopper omitted.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view, similar to the view shown in FlGURE 1 except that the complete section is shown and the gate is illustrated in the fully open position.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the extension brackets that is used for supporting the gate in the open position.

FIGURE 7 is a fractional bottom plan view of the gate showing the relationship between one of the pinions and the interfering rib which prevents the opening of the gate beyond a predetermined position.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one end of the frame showing how the extensions can be cast integrally with the side walls of the frame.

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIGURE 8.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES l, 2 and 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that the present in vention is applied to a railway hopper car with portions of the car being indicated by a center sill i0 and spaced outwardly therefrom one side wall ll overlying a side sill Ila. Between the center sill l0 and the side wall 11 there is a hopper which is indicated, generally, at 12. It will be understood that two or more pairs of hoppers, Such as the hopper 12, are located on opposite sides of the center sill 10. Since the construction for each hopper 12 is identical, only one is shown. The hopper i2 is formed by oppositely sloping floors l3 and i4 and outer and inner side walls 15 and i6. The floors l3 and i4 and side walls 15 and it? are joined to form a rectangular discharge opening 17 through which lading in the hopper l2 flow downward y under the influence of gravity.

Surrounding the discharge opening 7 at the lower margins of the oppositely sloping floors l3 and 14 and side walls 15 and i6 is a frame which is indicated, generally, at 18. The frame 18 can be formed of cast steel or can be fabricated of rolled structural members. It is secured by riveting or welding to the lower margins of the oppositely sloping floors l3 and 14 and side walls 15 and 16. It will be observed that the frame 18 includes upper walls 19 and 20 which overlie the oppositely sloping floors 13 and 1- Also. the frame 13 includes upper walls 21 and 22 which overlie the outer and inner side walls 15 and 16 respectively. Below the upper walls 19, 21 and 22 are lower walls 23, 25 and 26, respectively, which form a three sided enclosure for a sliding gate 27. In order to slidably support the gate rivets 61. formed of a material, such as cast brass, different from 2'7 and hold it in the closed position where discharge of lading through the discharge opening 17 is prevented ledges 29, 31 and 32 are provided which extend from the lower walls 23, 25 and 26, respectively. The arrangement is illustrated more clearly in FIGURE of the drawings. It will be understood that the gate 27 is slidably supported on the ledges 31 and 32 of its sides and one the ledge 29 at the leading end when the gate 27 is in the fully closed position as shown in FIG- URE 1 of the drawings.

Below the lower walls 23, and 26 there is a chute like extension that is indicated, generally, at 33. Preferably the chute like extension 33 forms an integral part of the frame I8. It is made up of chute walls 35, 36, 37 and 38 which underlie and are spaced downwardly from the upper walls 19, 2t 21 and 22, respectively.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 5 of the drawings the upper wall 24 has an under surface 48 which forms the upper side of a slot 41 the lower side of which is formed by an upper surface 42 of the chute wall 36. It will be understood that the gate 27 is movable through the slot 41 between the upper wall 20 and the chute wall 36 between the open and the closed positions. The slot 41 is the one previously referred to, the dimensions of which preferably are held so as to provide minimum clearance with the gate 27 in order to avoid leakage of finely comrninuted lading.

The frame 18 is provided on opposite sides with extension flanges 43 and 44 which project endwise from the Walls 2I37 and 2238, respectively, beyond the upper wall 29 and sloping floor I4. Bearings 45 and 46 are carried by the extension flanges 43 and 44 for rotatably mounting an operating shaft 47. Secured to the operating shaft 47 so as to rotate therewith are pinions 48. The pinions 48, as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, are spaced apart on the operating shaft 47 and are arranged to engage with rack teeth 49 which project downwardly from the under side of the gate 27. The arrangement is shown in FIGURES 1 and 5 of the drawings. For rotating the operating shaft 47 an operating head 56, FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, is secured to one end and it is provided with openings 51 for receiving a removable bar (not shown) in accordance with conventional practice.

With a view to holding the gate 27 in the closed position as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a latching dog 52 is pivoted at 53 to the extension flange 43. In the position shown in FIGURE 1 the latching dog 52 engages the portion of the gate 27 which extends through the slot 41 underneath the upper wall 26 of the frame 18 in the closed position so as to prevent opening movement. A sealing pin 54 is slidably and rotatably mounted by a support 55, FIGURE 3. The sealing pin 54 extends through a suitable opening in the latching dog 52 and through a key shaped opening 56 in the extension flange 43 to hold the latching dog 52 in the latch position.

It has been pointed out hereinbefore that difficulty has been encountered in providing supports for the gate 27 in the open position which are continuations of the ledges 31 and 32. One reason for this is that the dimensions of the slot 41 have been reduced in order to avoid leakage of lading and this has required that the support for the gate 27 in the open position be accurately aligned with the upper surfaces of the ledges 31 and 32 in order to prevent binding of the gate 27 on the under surface 4% of the wall 28 or the upper surface 42 of the chute wall 36.

In accordance with this invention provision is made for supporting the gate 27 in the open position, as shown in FIGURE 5, by extension brackets 57 and 53. The

extension brackets 57 and 58 have central webs 59 and P 68 which bear fiatwise against the inner sides of the extension flanges 43 and 44 and are secured thereto by The extension brackets 57 and 58 can be .the material of which the frame 18 is formed and a material which has a minimum of friction with the sliding under surface of the gate 27.

The extension brackets 57 and 58 are generally of channel shape and the construction of the bracket 58 is shown more clearly in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. The extension brackets 57 and 58 include upper flanges 63 and 64 which provide seats 65 and 66, respectively, at their outer ends which are aligned with the ledges 31 and 32 on the frame 18 and are located at the same elevation. Between the seats 65 and 66 and the other ends of the extension brackets 57 and 58 they are depressed as indicated at 67 and 63 to permit a slight downward movement of the end of the gate 27 which projects through the slot 41 when the gate 27 is closed. This slight movement is permitted since the under surface 40 of the wall 25 is spaced or offset from the upper surface 42 of the chute wall 36. A gradual slope 69 and 7th on the brackets 57 and 58 serves to interconnect the depressed parts 67 and 68 with the seats 65 and 66, respectively. This arrangement serves to direct the curved end surfaces 27 of the gate 27 onto the seats 65 and 66.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3 of the drawings the extension brackets 57 and 58 are provided with tapered sections '71 and 72. Thus the extension brackets 57' and 58 vary in thickness from a maximum at the outer ends where the seats 65 and 66 are provided to a minimum where they overlie the inner surfaces of the extension flanges 43 and 44 and are secured thereto by the rivets 61. The extension brackets 57 and 58 on the under sides of the outer ends are curved as indicated at 73 and '74. This construction facilitates direct access to the end of the gate 27 and permits it to be pushed to the closed position without requiring that the shaft 47 be rotated by the application of a removable bar to the operating head 50.

With a view to limiting the opening movement of the gate 27 to the position shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings interfering ribs 75 are formed integrally with the under side of the gate 27'. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 7 of the drawings the interfering ribs 75 are aligned with the pinions 48 and are arranged to be engaged by one of the teeth of the pinions 48, as shown in FIGURE 5. This prevents further rotation of the pinion 48 and serves as a stop for limiting the opening movement of the gate 27.

In the assembly of the gate 27 with the frame 18, the gate 27 is inserted through the slot 41 in the absence of the operating shaft 47 and pinions 48. After the gate 27 has been inserted, the pinions 48 are held in place and the operating shaft 47 is threaded through them and through the bearings 45 and 46. When the gate 27 is to be removed, the foregoing procedure is reversed and the operating shaft 47 is first removed and, the pinions 48 are dropped out of engagement with the rack teeth 49.

Since the end of the gate 27 where the interfering ribs 75 are located is required to move through the slot 41, it is desirable that the interfering ribs 75 extend below the gate 27 no further than the rack teeth 49 project therefrom.

In order to prevent bouncing of the gate 27 when no lading is in the hopper 12 narrow lugs 77 and 78 extend inwardly from the lower walls 25 and 26, respectively, and over the gate 27 as shown in FIGURE 3. In addition wide lugs 79 and 80 extend inwardly from the lower walls 25 and 26, respectively, for the same purpose.

A removable discharge chute (not shown) can be secured to the under side of the chute like extension 33. For this purpose flanges 8I-8I extend outwardly from chute wall 35, as shown in FIGURE 5, and a groove 82 is provided in the opposite chute wall 36. Also, a flange 83 extends outwardly from the chute wall 37 and a groove 84 is formed in chute wall 38.

FIGURES 8 and 9 of the drawings show an extension 86, corresponding to the extension flange 44 and the extension bracket 58 previously described, which is cast integrally with the upper wall 22 and chute wall 38. A

similar extension (not shown) is cast integrally with the upper wall 21 and chute wall 37 on the other side of the frame 18.

The integral extension 86 includes a vertical wall 22' and a web 38 which are continuations of the upper wall 22 and chute wall 38, respectively. Extending inwardly from the lower portion of the vertical wall 22 is an upper flange 87 at the outer end of which there is a vertically depending flange 88 that is joined by an inclined flange section 89 to a bottom flange 90 which extends inwardly along the lower edge of the web 38.

The upper surface of the upper flange 87 is machined to provide a seat 91 on which the under surface on one side of the gate 27 slides in the open position in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5. The seat 91 can be machined to the same elevation as the surface of the ledge 32 on which the gate 27 also slides and by which it is supported in the closed position. These machining operation are performed using the same set up and thus the production cost is minimized and a high degree of accuracy can be obtained. It will be understood that a similar seat is machined on the corresponding extension on the other side of the frame 18 at the elevation of the surface of the ledge 31.

The upper flange 87 includes a depressed part 92 the upper surface of which is connected to the seat 91 by a gradual slope. The edge of the depressed part 92 i inclined from the gradual slope 93 to merge with the inner surface of the vertical wall 22'.

In either embodiment of the invention it is possible to provide a close fit or seal between the upper surface of the gate 27 and the under surface 40 of the upper wall 20 when the gate 27 is closed. The reason for this is that the under sides of the gate 27 are supported in the open position, in part, by the seats 65 and 66 of limited length on the extension brackets 57 and 58 or by seats such as the seat 91 on the extension 86 with the depressed parts 67 and 68' or 92 permitting slight downward movement of the end of the gate 27 that projects through the slot 41 when the gate is moved toward its open position. It is unnecessary to provide relatively great clearance between the under surface 40 and the upper surface of the gate 27 to accommodate variations in machining supporting surfaces as direct extensions of the surfaces of the ledges 31 and 32. A further seal of the gate 27 in closed position is provided by an upstanding rib 95 engaging a lower surface 96 of the upper wall 20.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

A hopper discharge opening closure structure for use in a railroad car having an opening providing for the downward discharge of lading and comprising, in combination:

(a) a frame having side and end walls forming a discharge opening,

(b) a support flange parallel to and secured to each of said side walls adjacent the lower portions thereof and extending toward each other along opposite sides of said opening,

(0) a gate slidable along the upper surfaces of said support flanges underneath one of said end Walls and in closed position projecting at one end beyond said one end wall and having its other end adjacent the other end wall,

(d) said gate having rack teeth on its underside,

(e) an extension flange at each end of said one end wall of said frame projecting endwise from said side walls,

(f) a shaft journaled at its ends in said extension flanges underneath said gate,

(g) pinion means non-rotatably mounted on said shaft in engagement with said rack teeth to move said gate along said support flanges on rotation of said shaft,

(12) extension means from each of said extension flanges and extending underneath the sides of said gate in the direction of opening movement thereof,

(i) each extension means having a seat on its upper side spaced outwardly from said one end wall of said frame for receiving and supporting said gate in open position,

(i) each seat being spaced from said one end wall a distance substantially less than the distance said one end of said gate moves away from said one end wall to full open position and of limited length as compared to the length of the extension means on which it is located for supporting said gate in open position intermediate its ends and aligned with and at the same elevation as the upper surface of the respective support flange on said frame,

(k) each extension means between said one end wall and the respective seat being offset below the same and the upper surface of the respective support flange to permit downward movement of said one end of said gate in its movement toward closed position and after it has moved off of said seats,

(I) and means cooperating with and preventing movement of the other end of said gate in the opening direction beyond said one end wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 989,652 Schultz Apr. 18, 1911 1,623,303 Burnett Apr. 5, 1927 2,638,060 Dorey May 12, 1953 2,640,438 Dorey June 2, 1953 2,719,492 Dorey Oct. 4, 1955 2,738,734 Dorey Mar. 20, 1956 

